Sometimes research tells you what you already know. Writing at The American Institute for Economic Research, Brad DeVos outlines how the COVID-19 pandemic and measures to slow its spread have brought significant stress into people's lives by isolating them.
DeVos specifically addresses the way that mandated pandemic precautions have removed so-called "third spaces" from many people's lives. The term was coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg to describe places where people often congregated that was not home or work. Neighborhood taverns, gyms, bowling allies churches and the like offer places where people encounter other people but do so without the structured expectations of the workplace. Their lack has removed a place or environment where people could help shed stress and take part in enjoyable, relaxing and potentially recharging activities as a group.
The article isn't a long exploration of the idea but I think DeVos's understanding is on target. But even more than that I like his ending -- a hope that when we have dealt with the virus through a vaccine and learning how its spread can be prevented we return "to normal." Not, he says, the proverbial "new normal" that has no place for third spaces and their role, but actual normal that does include them and lets them once again fulfill their vital role in the spiritual and emotional health of our society.
2 comments:
In the pandemic, I count two "worst" things for me:
1. Because of the distance and necessity of traveling there on public transport, and the fact that she is 84 (and I have some risk factors myself that would make getting COVID possibly bad for me), I will not get to see my mom until this is over. I have tried to reason out every way to do it, wondering if I could drive it by myself, looking around at the small circle of people in my life to see if ANYONE has ties in central Illinois and could share driving with me - and no.
I am left with praying that this is "over" to the point of being able to travel again fairly soon and that she is still alive at that point.
2. But also, that author is right -- I didn't go out MUCH but I did go out. To quilt shops, to bookstores, to restaurants, once in a while to a concert, to church, to numerous group meetings. Well, church has started back up but in a greatly reduced and masked sort (masks, no choir, everyone 6' apart, communion done very differently) and some of the meetings are back but over Zoom (I hate Zoom now).
As an unattached person with no nearby family, I am desperately lonesome. I didn't realize how much I needed people before this. I have e-mailed a couple friends who are "in recovery" as they say and told them that their discussion of "taking it one day at a time" is what is literally keeping me alive in this - thinking about "it will be at least six more months" absolutely undoes me. I can make it through another day; I can't make it through the thought of living like this....maybe forever?
Teaching is also bad in this but that's unrelated I guess
I have some more connections with "outside," as it might be seen, because of my work and my helping out my folks. But what' you're talking about is a real thing; I'll offer prayers that you do persevere until we get a version of normal back on the scene.
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